


Aging

by grappel



Series: We'll Always Have Paris [1]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Cuddling, F/M, Fluff, human/synth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-08 01:25:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5478110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grappel/pseuds/grappel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I just have so many feelings about human/robot relationships. Especially in regards of mortality.<br/>Written for fallout fluff Friday</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aging

The soul survivor sat upright in her bed and stretched, arching her back taut as a bow and reaching towards the tin roof of her house in Diamond City. Nick reclined against the rough cinderblock wall next to her, flipping through a library book they had found while clearing out a Raider’s nest. His coat was hanging from her desk chair; his hat on her bedside table. His lady held her stretch, causing her to quiver slightly in a way that drew the yellow neons of his eyes away from the decaying pages and towards her form. The small lamp behind her silhouetted her curves, and for just a moment Nick found himself awestruck by her beauty. Her dark hair spiraled and curled down her shoulders, the arch of her back accenting the dramatic angles of her body, and the way she looked at him through her thick lashes when she dropped her posture made him swear he might blow a fuse.  
She smiled softly at him, enjoying the attention and the look of admiration that was oh so evident on his face. He returned with a small smile of his own and set aside the book.  
“C’mere you,” he pulled her into an embrace, and was delighted by how readily she melted into his touch.  
“You are the single most gorgeous sight in the Commonwealth, you know that?”  
She laughed against his chest and snaked her arms around his waist.  
“Well, not to be vain, but there’s not much competition left.”  
Nick sighed into her hair, “You have a point, but still. You're beautiful.”  
She smiled softly, but remained quiet. Nick noticed the discomfort in her silence, usually she responded to his affections eagerly and accepted his compliments readily.  
“You alright?” He asked, leaning back so he could see her, but she ducked her head and rolled over to turn off the light.  
“Yeah I'm fine, but I’m going to go to sleep now, do you mind?”  
Before he could answer she had already laid down, pulled the thin blankets up to her ears, and faced away from him.  
He laid down next to her, scooting closer and pressing his chest to her back. Despite her intent to avoid his gaze and conversation, she pressed back into his touch.  
“You sure you're alright?” He asked again.  
This wasn't the first time she hadn't wanted to talk about what was troubling her, there had been many times where she'd spend the evening quiet and pensive, then bright eyed and talkative as soon as the sun rose, informing him that she had come to peace with whatever was haunting her. Her independence was admirable, but he would always at least offer his help. He thought this might be another one of those times, but she sighed deeply and reached for his exposed hand. She brushed her fingertips along every joint and member carefully, as if trying to memorize it by touch.  
“Can I ask you something?” She finally said.  
“Of course,” he propped himself onto his elbow so he could watch her expression, even if she was avoiding his gaze.  
“Did you always look like this?”  
“What do you mean?”  
She sat up, crossing her legs underneath her, but keeping a tight grasp on his hand.  
“Not the human Nick, but you. Did you always look like this?” She asked again, holding up his hand.  
“Oh. Well, not really. I wasn't exactly in the best condition when I woke up, and the commonwealth can cause some pretty harsh wear and tear.”  
His other hand went to the hole in his neck, tracing along its jagged edges.  
“I guess they hadn’t gotten to durability before they were done with me.” He chuckled, and put his free hand on hers.  
“Now you wanna tell me what this all about?”  
He watched her posture stoop low, like she was practically trying to curl in on herself.  
“I'm going to age, you know.”  
“And?”  
“I won't always look like this Nick. I'm pretty now, sure, but it won't be long before that changes. Not to mention the life expectancy in the Commonwealth doesn't seem to be anything to brag about.”  
Nick opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.  
“You can degrade too, I know that, but you can be repaired. Pieces can be replaced, parts put back together. I could lose an arm tomorrow, and that'd be that. Not only would I be missing a limb, but I'd be useless to you out there. This… Me, I'm fleeting. Compared to you and what you could do, my existence is only speck on your timeline, the window of time where you're actually attracted to me even shorter.” Her voice cracked and she had to stop to catch her breath, which gave Nick a chance to duck down and kiss her.  
He held both sides of her face, keeping her close.  
“Enough.” He said, pulling back enough to keep his forehead pressed against hers.  
“Firstly, I will never stop being attracted to you.” His voice was firm, almost harsh, and her hands began to shake slightly while she bit back tears.  
“Every single damn night, while you sleep, I get to lay there and wonder how in the hell a beat up, old institute reject got so lucky to have the prettiest woman in the commonwealth in bed with him.” He sat back and pulled her chin up so she was forced to meet the glow of his eyes.  
“And let me tell you something doll, that will never change.”  
She struggled to swallow around the knot in her throat, unable to say anything.  
“Even if you were a 70 year old ghoul and missing every single arm and leg you've got, there's no place I'd rather be than by your side.”  
She couldn't keep a straight face at that, and let a small smile crack, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and glancing away bashfully.  
“You promise?”  
“I promise.”  
She smiled broader, but the tears that had gathered in her eyes still threatened to spill.  
“Valentine, I… I don't deserve you.”  
Nick sighed and took ahold of her hand again, “you say that…” He placed her hand on his cheek, so the fingertips fell on the exposed metal of his jaw, “Yet here I am. Privileged by your presence, in awe of what you’ve done for me and others, and trying to figure out how an old bot like me could deserve you.”  
The tears were slowly running down her face now, she stroked his damaged cheek with her thumb and pressed her fingertips against the cold metal of his jaw. He closed his eyes and leaned against her hand, feeling the warmth where he still had skin, enjoying the pressure of her touch where he didn't.  
“This place is full of things to worry about and people that need impressing, but I'm not one of them okay?”  
He opened his eyes and saw the yellow circles reflected back in her own dark irises.  
“You've already got me. And I'm not going anywhere.”

**Author's Note:**

> I know this is so overdone but I couldn't help myself.
> 
> Send me requests and prompts at   
> Little-atombomb on tumblr!


End file.
